Debate Rages Over Coyotes in Parks, Presidio

By Ryder W. Miller

The wild coyotes that can now be found in San Francisco parks and the Presidio are still being considered an unsolved problem, and a potential public threat, by some members of the community.

The SF Recreation and Park Department has produced a brochure detailing how humans can coexist with coyotes in city parks. A similar tact has been taken at the Presidio.

At the Presidio, the National Park Service argued that human beings and coyotes can co-exist if people are willing to make some adjustments in the city named after Saint Francis, the patron saint of animals.

But Barbara Meskunas, San Francisco Supervisor Ed Jew's legislative aide and former president of the Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods, disagrees with the tack the City and National Park Service are taking.

"If anyone thinks that it is rational to tolerate a public threat like this, I would question their sanity," she said.

"At minimum, the public needs to be alerted to the presence of coyotes in the City so they can protect their wandering cats, off-leash dogs, and small children. If common sense prevails, we will identify a way to remove and resettle the coyotes in a more appropriate place," Meskunas said.

Coyotes (Canis Latrans) are known to eat, among other things, cats and dogs. They also occasionally attack children.

Critics of the city's policy toward the wild animals want to know the answer to various questions, including: Is public education enough to keep them safe? Will everybody get the message? Should or can the coyotes be caught and removed?

Despite being considered a wild creature, coyotes are now found in urban and suburban areas. In certain locations, they have taken advantage of changes mankind has made to their original habitat.

In San Francisco, they have been seen in Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, Bernal Heights, and Lake Merced. Coyotes also roam the Marin Headlands. It is unknown when they arrived in the City or how many now call the city home.

The necessary message to be heeded by the public is that people should not get too friendly with coyotes. One should not pet them like a dog or cat or feed them. Garbage needs to be covered so coyotes are not attracted to areas where people are located. Coyotes have been known to attack children if they are startled or feel threatened by them.

Although they can usually be scared away, it is important that they remain fearful of people so they will keep a safe distance. Humans cannot outrun coyotes.

Few Coyote Attacks on Human Beings
"Coyote attacks on people are extremely rare," writes Tom Chester on the Internet. "There have been a small number of attacks on people in the U.S. and Canada, with most of the attacks involving small children under 5 years of age. Chester argues that the animals can co-exist with humans.

"Parents who bring their children to the parks do need to be alerted to the possible threat, even in Golden Gate Park. Most are probably already aware," he said. "There is no question that coyotes are a problem for domestic dogs and cats, but their presence actually helps native California bird populations.

"On top of the food chain, coyotes deter lesser predators or mesopredators, like foxes, opossums, skunks, raccoons, dogs and cats, which hunt birds. The removal of the coyotes in the long run will result in more predatory pressure on native birds like the California quail, wrentit, spotted towhee, Bewick's wren, California thrasher, greater roadrunner, cactus wren and California gnatcatcher. Bird diversity noticeably decreases when the abundance of mesopredators increase."

Coyotes need a large area to feed, but they may take advantage of the abundance of waste that can be found in urban and suburban areas. It is easier to hear a coyote than see one because they usually avoid people. They have become more nocturnal due to pressure from humans.

In Native American mythology, coyotes play the role of the cultural hero, or trickster. In folk tales they have been portrayed as a malingerer, sneak or thief.

Daphne Hatch, chief of natural resource management and science for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), said there has never been a case in which a coyote bit anyone at the Presidio, Marin Headlands or anywhere else in the GGNRA.

A representative at San Francisco Animal Care and Control said the organization is not responsible for the coyotes and other wild creatures that can be found in the city's parks.

Paul Ferreira, supervising naturalist at the Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont, said coyotes cannot be found there any longer.

"Sometime in the early to mid-1900s, local people began calling these The Coyotes Hills, possibly because coyotes were still seen in the area. But, by the time this area became a regional park in 1967, coyotes had disappeared, due in part I'm sure, to the construction of two freeways, the channelization of Alameda Creek, and the expansion of nearby residential and commercial properties," he said.

In New York City, a coyote that was discovered in Central Park died after it was captured for removal from the urban park.

Jew's office will not be following the Recreation and Park Department's lead to produce a flyer about how humans can coexist with coyotes in the city's parks.

"Only an idiot would do nothing when there are wild animals in the park eating cats and small dogs. Children will be next!" Meskunas warned.